Fantasy Football Glossary

Every term, every acronym, every piece of jargon, explained

A-to-Z glossary of fantasy football terms. From basics like FLEX and PPR to deeper jargon like Zero RB and stacking. Heard something in a draft chat and didn't know what it meant? Look it up. Terms with links go to deeper pages.

A

ADP (Average Draft Position)

The average spot in the draft where a player gets selected across many drafts. ADP of 12.0 means the player typically goes 12th overall. In MFL Fantasy, ADP develops over multiple seasons as draft data accumulates, early in the platform's life, draft rankings serve as the closest equivalent.

Active Roster

The full set of players assigned to your team, including both starters and bench players. In MFL Fantasy, the default active roster is 15 players: 9 starters plus 6 bench spots.

Auto-Draft

A draft mode where the system picks for you automatically based on your queue or default rankings. Useful if you cannot attend the live draft. CPU teams in MFL Fantasy use the same auto-draft logic.

Auto-Pick

When a manager's draft timer expires, the system automatically picks the highest-ranked player from their queue (or default rankings if the queue is empty). Prevents drafts from stalling on inactive managers.

B

Bench

Players on your roster who are not in your starting lineup for a given week. Bench players do not score points but can be promoted to starters in future weeks. Default bench size in MFL Fantasy is 6 spots.

Best-Ball Scoring

A scoring format where the manager does not need to set a lineup, the platform automatically takes the highest-scoring players at each starting position. MFL Fantasy does not currently offer best-ball; lineups are set manually.

Boom-or-Bust

A player with a wide range of weekly outcomes. They might score 35 points one week and 4 points the next. Often refers to deep-threat receivers or running backs who rely on long touchdowns. Risky in playoff lineups.

Breakout

A player who unexpectedly emerges as a high-end producer. Often refers to second-year players or veterans in new roles. Identifying breakouts before your league does is one of the biggest competitive edges in fantasy.

Bust

A player drafted highly who fails to live up to expectations. The opposite of a breakout. Every season has notable busts; avoiding them is the difference between contending and rebuilding.

Bye Week

A week where an MFL team does not play. Players on a bye week score zero fantasy points. Each MFL team has exactly one bye somewhere between Weeks 4 and 12. Managing bye-week conflicts is a core part of weekly lineup decisions.

C

Cap (Salary Cap)

In the underlying MFL Madden league, every team operates under a salary cap that constrains roster construction. Players have contracts with cap hits visible in the Stats Hub Contracts tab. Cap implications affect which players stay long-term in the league.

Ceiling

A player's highest realistic single-game outcome. High-ceiling players are valuable in playoffs and best-ball formats where one big week can decide everything.

Championship

The Week 17 title game in each MFL Fantasy league. The winner is permanently archived in season history with a championship banner.

Commissioner

The user who creates a league and manages its settings. Commissioners can adjust scoring rules, kick or replace teams, override scores in disputes, set the draft date, and post league announcements. Every league has exactly one commissioner.

Consolation Bracket

A secondary playoff bracket for teams that miss the main playoffs. Consolation games count toward season stat totals but do not award championships. Optional, most MFL Fantasy leagues run only the main bracket.

CPU Team

An AI-controlled fantasy team. CPUs draft, set lineups, claim waivers, propose trades, and respond to direct messages with AI-driven negotiation. Used to fill empty slots in leagues or for solo play. See the CPU AI page for details.

D

D/ST (Defense and Special Teams)

A single roster spot representing an entire team's defense and special teams unit. D/ST scores fantasy points for sacks, interceptions, fumble recoveries, defensive touchdowns, safeties, return touchdowns, and points-allowed brackets.

Depth Chart

The ranked order of players at each position on an MFL team. Starters at the top, backups below. Visible in the Stats Hub for every team. Important for identifying backup running backs who could break out if the starter gets injured.

DM (Direct Message)

A private message between two team owners (human or CPU). Used for trade negotiations, scheduling discussions, or general league chat. CPU teams respond to DMs with context-aware AI messaging.

Draft

The event at the start of every season where teams take turns selecting players to build their initial rosters. MFL Fantasy uses a 15-round snake draft by default. Full details on the Draft page.

Draft Capital

The aggregate value of a team's draft picks. Used informally to compare how teams entered a season, a team with multiple early-round picks has more draft capital than one with all late-round picks.

Drop

Removing a player from your roster. Dropped players become free agents (subject to waivers in some formats) and can be picked up by any other team.

Dynasty League

A multi-year format where rosters carry over between seasons with minimal player turnover. MFL Fantasy is redraft-only currently, every season starts with a fresh draft. Dynasty support is a potential future feature.

E

ECR (Expert Consensus Rankings)

A composite ranking aggregated from multiple expert rankings sources. In MFL Fantasy, the closest equivalent is the in-app draft rankings, which combine Madden ratings, projected scoring, and season-over-season performance.

F

FAAB (Free Agent Acquisition Budget)

A waiver format where teams use a season-long budget to bid on free agents instead of priority order. MFL Fantasy uses rolling priority by default, not FAAB. FAAB support is on the roadmap.

Floor

A player's realistic worst-case single-game outcome. High-floor players are valuable in must-win matchups where consistency matters more than upside.

FLEX

A starting roster spot that accepts multiple positions, typically RB, WR, or TE. Lets you start your best remaining skill-position player regardless of position. MFL Fantasy default lineup includes one FLEX spot.

Free Agent

Any player not currently on any team's roster. After waivers clear each week, free agents become first-come-first-served and can be picked up immediately.

Free Agency Window

The period after the waiver claim deadline passes and before the next week's games begin. During this window, all unclaimed free agents are available on a first-come-first-served basis with no waiver priority cost.

G

Game Script

How a real-life game unfolds and which players benefit. A team trailing by 20 will throw more (boosting receivers); a team leading by 20 will run more (boosting running backs). Helps predict which players will see the most usage.

Garbage Time

Late-game possessions when the outcome is decided and the trailing team is throwing nonstop. Fantasy production accumulated in garbage time still counts the same as production in close games, a 60-yard touchdown is 6 points no matter the score differential.

H

Handcuff

A backup running back drafted specifically because they would inherit the starter's workload if the starter got hurt. Handcuffs are insurance, usually low scoring on their own but valuable if the starter goes down.

Head-to-Head

The most common fantasy format and the only one MFL Fantasy uses. Each week, one team plays against one other team. Whoever scores more fantasy points wins. Records accumulate across the regular season.

Hero RB

A draft strategy of taking one elite running back early then loading up on receivers and tight ends in subsequent rounds. The opposite of zero RB.

I

IDP (Individual Defensive Player)

A format where individual defenders (linebackers, cornerbacks, defensive ends) score fantasy points instead of grouped team defenses. MFL Fantasy uses team D/ST only currently; IDP is a potential future feature.

Injured Reserve (IR)

A roster spot reserved for players with extended injuries. Lets you stash an injured player without burning a regular bench spot. MFL Fantasy does not currently have a dedicated IR slot, extended injuries require a bench spot or a drop.

Invite Code

A code or link that allows a specific person to join a private league. Generated automatically when a league is created. Commissioners can regenerate the code if it leaks.

K

Keeper

A player retained from one season to the next without re-drafting. MFL Fantasy is redraft-only; keepers are a potential future feature for users requesting longer roster continuity.

Kicker (K)

A starting roster position. Kickers score for field goals (with bonuses for longer distances) and extra points. Generally a streaming position, most managers swap kickers weekly based on matchups.

L

Lineup Lock

The moment when starters and bench players freeze in place and cannot be swapped. In MFL Fantasy, lineups lock at the start of each MFL game week. Once locked, your lineup decisions stand.

Lobby

The home screen showing all your active leagues, available public leagues to join, and the create-league button. Where every session starts.

M

Madden Companion App

A real EA mobile app used by the MFL commissioner to export weekly stats from the Madden franchise simulation. The MFL Fantasy stat import pipeline ingests this data.

Madden OVR

A player's overall rating in Madden (typically 60-99). MFL Fantasy displays Madden OVR for every player. Higher OVR usually correlates with higher fantasy production but not always, usage and game script matter just as much.

Matchup

One team's head-to-head game against another in a given week. Each manager has 13 regular-season matchups in a 10-team league.

Mock Draft

A practice draft that does not affect any real league. In MFL Fantasy you can mock-draft by creating a solo league filled entirely with CPUs and running the draft, same draft room, same player pool, same mechanics, just no consequences. Mock draft guide.

MVP (Most Valuable Player)

The weekly highest scorer in a league. MFL Fantasy generates a weekly MVP card after every import showing the top scorer across all rostered players.

N

News Feed

The league's activity feed showing trades, waiver claims, drops, lineup changes, and commissioner announcements. Like a social timeline for league activity.

O

OVR

See Madden OVR.

P

PPR (Point Per Reception)

A scoring format awarding 1 fantasy point for every reception. MFL Fantasy uses full PPR by default. Heavily favors pass-catching running backs and slot receivers.

Position Rank

A player's rank among others at the same position. RB12 means the 12th-ranked running back. Useful for evaluating trades and identifying value picks.

Projection

An estimated fantasy point total for a given week. MFL Fantasy generates projections per player per week based on Madden ratings, recent form, and matchup difficulty.

Q

QB (Quarterback)

A starting roster position. Default lineup includes 1 QB. Highest-scoring position overall, most QBs score more total points than most RBs/WRs, but you only start one, so depth at QB matters less than depth at RB/WR.

Queue

A pre-ordered list of players you want to draft. If your timer expires during the live draft, the system auto-picks from your queue. Even active drafters use queues to plan ahead.

R

RB (Running Back)

A starting roster position. Default lineup starts 2 RBs plus optional FLEX. The thinnest skill position, RB depth runs out fast in the draft, so most managers prioritize RBs in early rounds.

RBBC (Running Back By Committee)

A team that splits carries between two or more running backs instead of relying on a featured back. Fantasy-unfriendly because no single RB gets enough touches to be a reliable starter.

Reception

A caught pass. In PPR scoring, each reception is worth 1 fantasy point regardless of yardage. The fundamental scoring unit for the FLEX/PPR meta.

Recap

A post-week summary of every matchup, top scorer, biggest blowout, closest game, and notable performances. MFL Fantasy generates recaps automatically after each stat import.

Redraft

A format where every season starts with a completely fresh draft. MFL Fantasy is redraft-only. Rosters reset at season end; nothing carries over except your account history.

Regression

A statistical tendency for unusually high or low performance to move toward average over time. A player on a 30%-touchdown-rate hot streak will probably cool off; a player on a 0%-touchdown-rate cold streak will probably warm up.

Roster Lock

See Lineup Lock.

S

Scoreboard

The league view showing all current-week matchups, scores, and projections. Updates in real time after each stat import.

Sleeper

A player projected to outperform their draft position. Late-round picks who turn into starters. Identifying sleepers before the rest of your league does is a major edge.

Snake Draft

The default draft format where pick order reverses each round. Team that picks first in Round 1 picks last in Round 2, then first again in Round 3. Balances draft position over time.

Stacking

Starting multiple players from the same MFL team, most commonly a QB and one of their WRs. When the QB throws a TD to that WR, both players score. High-variance strategy.

Standings

The league's ranking of all teams by win-loss record. Tiebreaker order: record → total points scored → head-to-head → points against. Used to determine playoff seeding.

Start/Sit

The weekly decision of which players to put in the starting lineup vs which to leave on the bench. The most fundamental weekly decision in fantasy.

Stats Hub

MFL Fantasy's built-in scouting tool covering every team, player, and stat in the underlying MFL universe. Comparable to a sports reference site for the simulated league. See the Stats Hub page.

Streaming

A weekly strategy of cycling through different players at one position (usually D/ST or K) based on matchup, dropping the previous week's starter and picking up a new one each week.

Superflex

A FLEX spot that also accepts quarterbacks, letting a team start 2 QBs. Massively increases QB demand and changes draft strategy. MFL Fantasy uses standard FLEX (RB/WR/TE only) by default; superflex is a roadmap item.

T

TE (Tight End)

A starting roster position. Default lineup starts 1 TE. The thinnest scoring position, only a handful of TEs score consistently. Most leagues see a "tier cliff" where TE production drops off sharply after the top 6-8 options.

Trade

A swap of one or more players between two teams. In MFL Fantasy, trades can be human-to-human, human-to-CPU, or CPU-to-CPU. Full guide on the Trades page.

Trade Block

A list of players a team is actively shopping in trades. MFL Fantasy does not have a formal trade block feature; communication happens through DMs.

Trade Deadline

A configurable cutoff date after which no new trades can be proposed. Default in MFL Fantasy is no deadline; commissioners can set one.

Trade Veto

A league-vote system where other managers can block a trade they consider unfair. Optional setting in MFL Fantasy, off by default, on for some leagues to prevent collusion.

Transaction

Any roster change, trade, drop, waiver claim, free agent pickup. The transactions log in every league shows every move made by every team.

U

Untouchable

A player a CPU team will not trade under any circumstances. Each CPU has 1-3 untouchables, usually their highest-OVR players. Humans can also designate untouchables informally (the platform doesn't enforce it for human teams).

Upside

A player's realistic high-end outcome. High-upside players are valued more in best-ball or playoff lineups; high-floor players are valued more in must-win regular-season matchups.

V

Vacated Slot

A roster slot left empty due to a manager leaving the league mid-season. Commissioners typically fill vacated slots with CPU teams to keep the league functional.

Veto

See Trade Veto.

Volume

The number of touches, targets, or carries a player receives per game. High volume usually correlates with high fantasy production, a 20-touch RB or a 10-target WR has a higher floor than a player relying on big plays.

W

Waiver

The system for claiming free agents after the weekly stats import. Claims process in priority order, with successful claims dropping the team to the bottom of the queue. See the Trades & Waivers page.

Waiver Priority

The order in which teams' waiver claims are processed. Starts as reverse draft order; rolls down after each successful claim.

Waiver Wire

The pool of available free-agent players. The wire fills up with dropped players from other teams plus undrafted players. Hitting on a waiver wire pickup is one of the most satisfying parts of fantasy football.

WR (Wide Receiver)

A starting roster position. Default lineup starts 2 WRs plus optional FLEX. The deepest skill position, usable WRs go ~30 deep in most drafts. Easier to find late-round value at WR than at RB or TE.

Z

Zero RB

A draft strategy of skipping running backs in early rounds entirely, loading up on WRs/TEs/QBs, then taking RBs in the middle-late rounds. Risky but can work in PPR formats where WRs are heavily favored.

Missing a Term?

If you ran into a term not on this list, send it via the contact page and we'll add it.

Related

Beginner's Guide for full walkthrough. Scoring for the PPR ruleset. Draft Strategy. FAQ.